“This defendant swore an oath to serve the people of New York City but instead allegedly swindled thousands of dollars of taxpayer money through dishonesty,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Our charges include allegations that this city worker was supposedly clocking into work when he was actually traveling abroad in Africa. The Manhattan D.A.’s Office does not tolerate fraud in any form, and I thank the Department of Investigation for its ongoing partnership.”

“This alleged deception affected a Manhattan-based company that entrusted its attorney with its business dealings. The defendants — including this formerly licensed attorney who had an ethical and professional responsibility to act with honesty — allegedly lied again and again to enrich themselves,” said District Attorney Bragg. “We protect New Yorkers and companies based in Manhattan, a global financial capital, from fraud. If any company or individual believes they have been the victim of theft, I encourage them to report financial crimes by calling 212-335-8900.”

“Thanks to the expertise of our prosecutors, investigators and specialized cryptocurrency analysts, we were able to take this fraudulent website off-line as we continue to actively investigate,” said D.A. Bragg. “Our Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau is committed to protecting victims from cryptocurrency scams in Manhattan, a global financial center. We want victims of the Coin Dispute Network – no matter where you are – to come forward as we work to hold these bad actors accountable and prevent future fraud.”